Rail-joint.



J. G. ROYSE.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 26, 1913.

Patnted Apr. 21, 1914..

J i I Jill/Z65 Lijioyse, INVENTOR ATTORNEY UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES GREENE ROYSE, OF S'IAUNTON, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES J. LURIE, 0F STAUNTON, VIRGINIA. i I

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

Application filed March 25, 1913. Serial No. 756,773.

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, JAMEs Gr. Rorsn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Staunton, in the county of Augusta and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Rail-Joint, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in rail joints. i

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of rail joints, and to provide a simple, strong and practical: rail joint of comparatively inexpensive construction, adapted to present a continuous tread to the wheels of rolling stock, and capable of effectually preventing the destructive effects of gaps in the rails and consequent jumps, and also of preventing the damage to rails due to expansion and contraction, and also of maintaining a perfect continuity of the tread of all stages of contraction and expansion in the rails due to changes in temperature. a

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rail joint, constructed in accord ance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4c is a perspective view of one of the end members and the coacting connecting key. Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are detail perspective views, illustrating other forms of keys. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail transverse sectional view on the line 83 of Fig. 2, illustrating the construction of the rounded edges of the key and the end members. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail longitudinal sectional View of the upper portion of the rail joint, showing the rounded edges of the key and the end members.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing. i

In the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, 11 designate rails having mitered ends 2, preferably cut off atan angle of forty-five degrees and fitting mitered end faces 3 of end pieces or members 4. The end pieces or members 4, which are connected by a vertical longitudinal key 5, each preferably consists ofa single casting and comprises a. body portion having a head 6, a base 7 and a connecting web portion 8 from which extendspaced longitudinal fish plates 9, formed integral with the end pieces or members of the rail joint and adapted to fit against the adjacent rail 1 at opposite sides thereof in a manner similar to the ordinary fish plates. The beveled or mitered end face 3 of the body portion conforms to the Configuration of and fits tightly against the beveled or mitered end face 2 of the rail 1, and it is composed of upper and lower portions and an intermediate vertical connectlng portlon 10, whlch corresponds to the beveled or miteredweb of the rail 1.

The integral fish plates, which present longitudinally grooved or concave faces 11 to the sides of the rail 1, are provided with transversely alined openings 12 for the reception of bolts 13, which also pierce the rails and securely fasten the end pieces or members of the rail joint to the same. The longitudinal grooves or recesses at the inner faces 11 of the fish plate extensions enable the latter to firmly engage the rails at the 7 base and beneath the heads of the same, and

at the same time render the extensions sufficiently resilient to frictionally engage the nuts and the heads of the bolts to form a nut lock to prevent the nuts from becoming loose on the bolts through the vibration of the rails. The mitered or beveled ends of the rails and "the end pieces or members form a continuous tread, and as the end members of the joint are securely fastened to the ends of the rails and expansion and contraction are provided for elsewhere, there is no liability of the parts separating at the mitered joints and affecting such continuous tread.

The end pieces or members are provided in their inner ends with vertical longitudinal slots or bifurcations 15, and the vertical longitudinal connecting pieces or keys 5 extend from the top to the bottom of the end members and have flat lower faces to rest upon the cross ties (not shown), or upon a chair 16. The top face of the key is arranged in flush relation with the upper tread faces of the end members of the joint and it forms a continuous tread, which bridges the inner ends of the said members. In order to prevent the wheels. of a train from crushing the upper edges of the key and the end membersat the slots or bifurcations in which the said key is arranged, the end members may be provided at the top at the sides and ends of the said slots or bifurcations 15 with rounded edges 15, and the key may also be provided at the top at the sides and ends with rounded edges P, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawing. This will prevent the wheels of a train from producing ragged edges at the end members and at the key. Either the key or the end members may have rounded edges, or the edges of both may be rounded. The slots or bifurcations may be oppositely tapered fro-m the top and bottom toward the median line of the members, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing, and the said end members are provided in the walls of the bifurcations with'central longitudinal grooves 17, preferably rectangular in vertical section and receiving corresponding longitudinal ribs 18, located at the side faces of the key and formed integral with the same. The longitudinal grooves 17 of the end members of the joint and the ribs 18 and the upper and lower tapered portions of the key interlock the latter with the said end members, and the said key, which spans the joint between the end members, braces and supports each of the same and cooperates therewith to form a rigid joint or connection which prevents any vertical or lateral movement of the parts, and at the same time permits the necessary longitudinal play or movement to allow for the contraction and expansion due to changes in temperature. The coupling or union of the end pieces or members of the joint by the wedge-shaped key relieves the miter joints and all the parts of the rails of the strain usually incident to such contraction and expansion, and a perfect continuity of the tread is preserved at both the miter joints and the joints between the key and the end members, and the destructive effects of a gap and a consequent jump of the wheels are effectually eliminated. The chair 16, which is of a length equal to that of the rail joint, may be of any preferred construction and it is designed to be secured to the cross ties (not shown) by spikes in the usual manner.

i .In'Fig. 5 of the drawing is illustrated a connecting key 19, having oppositely tapered upper and lower portions, the rib shown in Fig. 3 being omitted. The opposite taper of the wedge-shaped key is adapted to firmly interlock the end members of the joint and is suflicient to prevent vertical lateral play of the parts. Instead, however, of employing an oppositely tapered key, a key 20 hav ing a continuous downward taper may be employed. The key 20 is provided at the center of the sides with longitudinal grooves 21 to interlock with corresponding ribs of the end pieces. Also a key 23 having straight vertical sides may be used. The key 23 is provided in its side faces with longitudinal grooves 24 to interlock with corresponding ribs of the end pieces, but a rib or groove may be formed on either part, as will be readily understood. Any suitable means for slidably interlocking the keys and the end members to resist vertical and lateral play and at the same time permit the necessary longitudinal movement to allow for the expansion and contraction of the rails may be employed. Also while it is preferable to employ a beveled or mitered overlapping joint between the end members and the ends of the rails, any other suitable joint may be used.

hat is claimed is 1. In a rail joint, the combination with ordinary rails, of end members rigidly secured to the rails and forn'iing an overlapping joint at the end of each rail to provide a continuous tread, and a separate connecting piece or key slidably connected with each of the said end members and bridging the inner terminals of the same and. arranged to form a continuous tread thereat.

2. In a rail joint, the combination with ordinary rails, of end members rigidly secured to the rails and forming an overlapping joint at the end of each rail to provide a continuous tread, and a connecting piece or key bridging the inner terminals of the end members to form a continuous tread and slidably interlocked with each of the said members to permit the expansion and contraction of the rails.

3. In a rail joint, the combination with ordinary rails, of end members rigidly sccured to the rails and forming an overlapping joint at each rail to provide a continuous tread, said end members having vertical slots or bifurcations at their inner ends, and a connecting piece or key fitting in the said slots or bifurcations and slidably interlocked with each of the said end members and bridging the inner terminals of the latter to form a continuous tread thereat and permitting relative longitudinal movement of the parts to provide for the contraction and expansion of the rails.

4. In a rail joint, the combination with ordinary rails, of end members rigidly secured to the rails and forming an overlapping joint at each rail to provide a continuous tread, said end members having vertical slots or bifurcations at their inner ends, and a connecting piece or key fitting in the said slots or bifurcations and bridgin the inner terminals of the end members to orm a continuous tread thereat, said end members and connecting piece or key having coacting interlocking means adapted to permit a relative longitudinal sliding movement of the connecting piece on each of the said end members and arranged to resist vertical and lateral play.

5. In a rail joint, the combination with or dinary rails, of end members rigidly secured to the rails and forming an overlapping joint at each rail to provide a continuous tread thereat, said end members having vertical slots or bifurcations at their inner ends, and a connecting piece or key fitting in the said slots or bifurcations and bridging the inner terminals of the end members to form a continuous tread, said end members and connecting piece or key being provided with coacting interlocking means slidably connected with each of the said end members and including a groove formed in one part and a rib projecting from the other part and fitting in the groove.

6. In a rail joint, the combination of two members provided at their adjacent terminals with longitudinal slots or bifurcations, and a longitudinal key fitting in the slots or bifurcations and connecting the members, said members and key having coacting parts interlocking the members with the key and holding the same against relative vertical and transverse movement, and the said key being free to slide on each of the end members to permit expansion and contraction of the rails.

7. In a rail joint, the combination of two members provided at their inner terminals with longitudinal slots or bifurcations having oppositely tapered upper and lower portions, and an oppositely tapered connecting piece or key extending in the slots or bifurcations and slidably interlocked with the said members.

8. In a rail joint, the combination of two members provided at their inner terminals with longitudinal slots or bifurcations having oppositely tapered upper and lower portions and provided in the opposite walls with longitudinal grooves, and an oppositely tapered key arranged in the slots or bifurcations and provided at opposite sides with longitudinal ribs fitting in the said grooves.

9. In a rail joint, the combination with ordinary rails having mitered or beveled ends, of end members including body portions provided at their outer ends with mitered or beveled faces to fit the ends of the rails, and integral fish plate extensions projecting from the outer ends of the end members and embracing the rails and rigidly secured to the same, and a connecting piece bridging the inner terminals of the end members and forming a continuous tread and having a loose slidable connection with each of the said end members to permit free expansion and contraction of the rails.

10. In a rail joint, the combination with rails, of end members provided at their outer ends with attaching means rigidly connecting them with the rails, and a separate connecting piece or key bridging the inner terminals of the said members and forming a continuous tread, said key and each end member forming a slidable c011- neetion and having relative free longitudinal movement on each other to permit free contraction and expansion of the rails.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES GREENE ROYSE.

Witnesses:

CHAS. J. LURIE, HULST GLENN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

